Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs and Blue Cheese Dip

I thought I would share one of our favorite recipes that would work great for a Super Bowl party. Everyone here in Indianapolis is gearing up for the big game this weekend, so party food is on my brain. The meatball recipe is from The Meatball Shop Cookbook, but I did make a couple of small tweaks to the original. The dip recipe is our own creation. We kept playing with different recipes for blue cheese dressing/dip until we came up with something that was lower in fat. I'd love to hear about it if you try them out!

-Melt the butter in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat. Add the hot sauce and stir until smooth. Allow to cool.

-Combine the hot sauce mixture with all other ingredients in a large bowl. Fold all ingredients together with your hands until thoroughly combined.

-Roll the mixture into small balls, approximately 3/4" in diameter. I use a very small ice cream scoop and then roll them in my hands. Line the meatballs up in rows in the baking dish, making sure the edges are touching each other.

-Roast for about 20 minutes until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. The internal temperature should read at least 165 degrees.

-Allow to cool slightly before serving. If you like things a bit spicier, brush the meatballs with extra hot sauce before serving.

**I have made these the day before and they turned out perfectly. I rolled the mixture into balls, laid them out in the pan, covered tightly with foil in the fridge, and baked the next day before the party.